Henderson police: Missing son now suspect in two deaths

HENDERSON – A 16-year-old teenager missing since his family was found slain is now considered the suspect in the homicides.

A warrant is on file charging Adrian Navarro-Canales as an adult with two counts of murder in the stabbing death of his mother, Elvira Canales-Gomez, 40, and his 9-year-old brother, Cesar Navarro. The warrant was signed by a Clark County judge Monday.

Henderson Police have been searching for Navarro-Canales since his mother and brother were found slain about noon Friday. Detectives have been unable to locate him. Anyone who knows of his whereabouts is asked to call 9-1-1 immediately.

When the woman and her young son were found in the apartment, detectives thought the older son might also have been a victim. As the investigation progressed, Navarro-Canales went from a missing person to a person of interest. By Sunday, detectives had the probable cause to arrest Navarro-Canales in connection with his family’s murder.

The exact nature of the evidence and details of the crime cannot be released at this time as the case remains ongoing. Detectives do not want to release any information that would hamper the capture of Navarro-Canales.

Officers were called Friday to the apartment in the 11000 block of South Eastern Avenue near Sunridge Heights Parkway to check on the welfare of the woman and her children. A friend and a relative started to worry about the woman after she did not show up to work on Wednesday and was not returning calls. Detectives discovered that the younger boy also missed school last week starting on Wednesday. Navarro-Canales was not enrolled in school this year.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to call the Henderson Police Department at (702) 267-4750 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com.

Tips directly leading to an arrest or an indictment processed through Crime Stoppers may result in a cash reward.